Benjamin



PATENTED JULY 31, 1906.

G. H. BENJAMIN. i METALLURGICAL FURNACE;

FIG.3L.

INVENTOR .90 WITNESSES. )4. C? 9L1:

4% demo,

PATENTE D JULY 31, 1906. G. H BENJAMIN. 1 METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 20, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR PATENTED JULY 31, 1906.

G. H. BENJAMIN.

METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1903.

3 ums-sum 3,

INVENTOR WITNESSES: I 2 5. Qm

UNITED STATES PATENT orrion. I onoaen H. BENJAMIN, or EW YORK, N. YQ I METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1906.

Application filed May 20.1.903. Serial No. 157,923.

To (LZZ whom it nut-y concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon HILLARD BEN- JAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallurgical Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallurgical furnaces generally, and especially to metallurgical furnaces of the type used for reheating heavy blooms, billets, or the like.

Considered in its broadest sense, my improved furnace consists of 1a heating-chamber with fixed top and sides and a bottom portion vertically movable as regards the top and sides, and means for producing the required heat in the heating-chamber.

. Considered in a more limited or construck tional sense, my improved furnace consists of a heating-chamber with imperforate top andsides, except where such sides are connected to the source of heat, a bottom portion vertically adjustable androtatable as re ards the heating-chamber, aremovable heart mounted on such bottom portion, means for drawing one hearth off of-the bottom portion when the bottom portion is in its lowest position and for introducing another hearth, means.

for forming an atmos heric seal between the heating-chamber an its movable bottom quired atmosphere in the eating-c amber.

. The objects of the invention may be stated as follows: First, the construction of a heating-chamber wherein. the heat will be retained within the top of the. chamber and not lost or reduced by reason of'openings in thetop or sides of such chamber communicating with the atmosphere; second, a construction of the bottom of the furnace by reason of which heavy masses of metal may be readily raised into the heating-chamber and, if desired, rotated in said chamber and withdrawn therefrom; third, a construction of the ifso bottomof the. furnace by reason of which when the bottom is in its upper position the interior of the furnace will be closed to the external atmos here except in sofar as air may be introduced in connection with the heatingflame; fourth, a construction of the bottom 1 of the furnace in connection with trackways .by reason of which a movable hearth carrying bodies tobe heated may be moved onto said movable bottom and carried by said movable bottom into the zone of heat in the heating-chamber and out of said zone of heat producin the rea vertical section through a 'ducer on Ju ployment of removable hearths by reason of which one hearth may be repaired and loaded While the other hearth and its load is being heated; sixth, the combination in a single structure of all the elements necessary to handle and heat or otherwise treat a body and generally'to make an efiicient easilyhandled furnace for the purpose described.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate my invention. I wish it understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the precise details of construction shown, as they may be considerably varied. For instance, it is not at all essential that the gasgenerating and air-regenerating apparatus be connected to thefurnace structure. The heatin as is well known, may be accombyproducer or natural gas drawn lishe rom a distance or through the em loyment as well as the mechamsm for moving the mov able hearths onto or off of the movable bottom. The drawings, however, show a strucvention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the furnace structure, taken on the line a a of Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is rtion of the furnace and shows the mova lc bottom in its lowest position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the furnace structure and its co operating parts, taken on the line b b of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan taken on ture whichv is well adapted to carry out my inthe line a c of Fig. 1 looking downward. Fig.

5 is a horizontal section taken on the line d d of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the furnacechamber, which may be of an suitable construction. Preferably this c amber is circular in section, with vertical walls 11 and an arched crown 12. The furnace-chamber is connected, through ports 13 .14, with the gasproducer 15 and regenerator 16.

17 18 indicate valves 'for controlling the direction of flow of the gas and air.

The gas-producer shown is identical with that illustrated in United States-Letters Pat ent No. 501,107, granted to Frederick Sie-' tion of the gas producer and regeneretor I either as regards their construction or mode of operation is therefore unnecessary, as such is fully disclosed in the above-mentioned patent.

As before stated, any device for enerating or transmitting gaseous fuel may e used in place of that shown.

The walls 11 of the chamber 10, as well as the top 12, are shown as imperforate, except Where connected to the producer 15. The object of this arrangement is to' prevent. the escape of heat from the-interior of the furnace to the atmosphere and the access of the atmosphere into the furnace-chamber. The furnace or heatingchamber' 10 is mounted upon the horizontal portion 19 of a cylindrical an le-iron 20, whose vertical portion 21 depen s downward. The angle-iron 20 is mounted upon or carried by T-beams or charmeldro ns 22, situated on the top of vertical walls 23. v

' The particularmeans shown and described for supporting the heating-chamber is not essential except as to onefeature, which will hereinafter be mentioned.

24 indicates the bottom of the heatingchamber. This bottom is shown as mounted -uponthe top of a piston 25, located within be accomplished by means of the gear 30,

pinion 31, spline-shaft 32, bevel-gears 33 34, andsource of ower 35 ,in the present case a belt-wheel. y reason of the spline on the shaft 32 this shaftmay be moved vertically within the hub ofthe beveled gear 33 at the same time that .the bottom is moved vertically. V v

Instead of mounting the bottom 24 as shown in the drawings, it may be secured directly to the top of the piston 25 that is, the mechanism for rotating may be dispensed with. This mechanism is very convenient for use where it is desired to roduce an ab solutely uniform heating of the body in the heating-chambereas, for instance, in reheating steel blooms, wire coils, &c.

Arranged in the eriphery of the bottom 24 is a trou h 36, W 'ch cooperates with the depending ange 21 of the angle-iron 20. This trough is arranged to contain wateror any fluid, semifiuid, or granular body, such as sand, which will act as a seal to revent theingress of atmospheric air into t e interior of the furnace chamber.

The particular construction of theparts constitutin the seal may be altered. An

form of sea ma be employed. As state the purpose of t 'e seal is to prevent the ingress of atmospheric air during the time that the seal is closed. The result of using such a seal is to reduce materially the losses due to' oxidation within the furnace, as owing to the fact that the top and sides and bottom of the suitable to the o eration to be conducted on the hearth, for wisli it understood that my improved furnace may be used as a melting-furnace, a puddling-furnace, a heatingfurnace, or for conducting any metallurgical operation. Of course where the use of the furnace is changed the character of the hearth will be correspondingly altered. This willbe understood by those skilled in the art without further explanation.

Preferably the diameter of the hearth the furnace-chamber. The object of this is to prevent as far as possible theradiated heat acting under the hearth, as it is desirable to keep the bottom of the hearth relashould closely'correspond to the diameter of tively cool 'as regards the top, so as to pre-.'

vent destruction or injury to the carriage portion of the hearth.

I do not limit myself in an wise to the employment of a wheeled heart Any form of earth will be within the intent of my invention which may be pushed upon and drawn from the bottom of the heating-chamber.

In the operation of my furnace I may use two or more hearths. drawings. k 40 represents a pipe, through which a motive fluid may be introduced to move the 'pis ton 25. I

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the bottom and hearth are shown in'the top position within the furnace-chamber and the seal between the heating-chamber and the bottom-closed.

I In Fig. 2 the artsare shown in the lowest osition and t e seal broken. When the ottom is in the lowest position, the rails 27 Two are shown in the on the bottom 24 re ister with the rails 41 at"- the oppositeside's o the furnace. Arranged in relation to these rails are the c linders 42, containing the pistons 43 and re s 44. The

end of the rods 44 are sup orted on carriages 45', which move on the rai s 41, and each rod carries pne-halfof an automatic coupler 46 of any type, preferably what is known as the Janney type. One-half of a similar cou ler 47 is mounted on each end of a heart carriage 38. i

' 48 49 are pipes'through whicha motive electricity may be used.

The operation of this portion of'the device will be readily understood Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 3,

the hearth-carriage at the right is connected to a rod 44 through an automatic coupler and'is in the position to be pushed upon the bottom 24. When the bottom 24 reaches the position shown in Fig. 2, the rod 44 at the leftmoves forward, the couplersections 46 47 are brought in position and automatically coupled. The direction of movement of the rod is reversed, which draws the hearth-carriage off of the bottom 24 and onto the trackway 41', leaving the bottom free to receive the hearth-carriage at the right.

A particular featureof importance in the construction of the furnace and to which wish to call attention is found in the fact that when the bottom is in its lowest position-the furnace-chamber is not cooled, but maintains its temperature- This is due to the fact that the gaseous flame is maintained in the top of the furnace cham ber, and, furth'er, as the specific ravity of the heated gases is less than air t ey completelyv fill the furnace-chamber and prevent the in" ess of air from below, so that when the ottom moves upward to lift the bodies to be heated into the furnace-chamber it in a sense acts as a piston to com ress 1n or'force the contained gases through t e ports of the chamber. This condition results in great'economy as Well as uniformity of action within the furnace-chamber. I

I have illustrated my improved furnace as circular in section and arranged to heat four. blooms. Manifestly the contour of the fur nace could be-changed-that is, it could be made oblong-and arranged to heat any re: quired number of blooms.

I have describedmy improved furnac' as arranged to completely exclude the external atmosphere, except so far as may'relate to the air introduced to support .combustiom' In certain metallurgical operations air is nec-' 'essary, and of course means may be provided for introducing such air.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1'. A metallurgical furnace comprising a bottom, a removable hearth on said bottom,

together with means situated on opposite sides of said bottom for moving said hearth onto and off of said bottom.

3. A metallurgical furnace, comprising a heating-chamber circular in section and permanently closed to the atmosphere at its top and sides, a separable bottom, and means for vertically reciprocating said bottom 4. A metallurgical furnace comprising-a heating-chamber having permanently-closed top an d sides, a separable bottom, an atmospheric seal between said bottom and. sides, together with means forvertically recipro- 'cating said bottom.

5. A metallurgical furnace comprising a heating-chamber having permanently-closed top and sides, means for introducing a heating-flame through the side of said furnace, a separable bottom, together with means for reciprocating said bottom.

6. A metallurgical furnace, comprising a heating-chamber permanently closed at its top and sides to the atmosphere, means for introducing gaseous fuel through the side Wall of said chamber near its top, a separable bottom, together with means for vertically moving said bottom.

7.' A metallurgical furnace, comprising a heating-chamber permanently closed to the atmosphere at its top and sides, ports through which heating-flames and the products of combustion-may be inirodlmed into and drawn from the furnace near its top, a separable bottom, together with means for vertically reciprocating said bottom.

8. In a metallurgical furnace the combination of a heating-chamber .permanently closed to the atmosphere at its top and sides a separable bottom therefor, means for'reciprocating said bottom, a plurality of movable hearths, and means for moving said hearths onto and off of said bottom.

9. In a metallurgical furnace, the combi' nation of a heating-chamber permanently closed to the atmosphere at its top and sides a separable bottom, means for vertically reciprocating said bottom, and a movable hearth'mounted on said bottom, said hearth conforming in contour. to the shape of the heating-chamber, x

11. In a metallurgical furnace, the combination of a heating-chamber, a separable bot-- tom, a gear on said bottom, a pinion coacting with said gear, a spline-shaft, a gear through which said spline-shaft may be moved verti calliv, means for reciprocating said bottom, sai spline-shaft and coacting parts, and

- means for rotating said spline-shaft and' bot-"- 7 tom.

said chamber and gas-producer.

1 Ele bottom portion therefor,"and -'vertica1l movin 12. A metallurgicalfinnaceiv comapri'sing a.' chamber having permanently-close" top and relative to said heating-cham dueer located at the side'of; and at the s me level as, the heating-chamber, togetherwith communicating ports and passages between 15. A metallurglcal furnace, comprisiiig "af heating-chamber permanently closed at the top and sides, a separable bottor'ri 'threfdf; means for vertically'moving 'saidbottorh' rela'-' tive to said heating-chamber; together-with?" means for maintainingI adefine'd tem erature" in saidheating-oham er and irrespective of Whether thelower' ortio'n of said'ehamber is closed or open to t e atmosphere. v r I 16. A metallurgical furnace, c0mpri si'11"ii heating-chamber permanently closed at't top and sides, a separablelbottjomtherefor; means for vertically moving said bottom relaf tive to said heating-chamber, a gas-produc r located at the sideof saidheatlng-chamb er divided i'r'itotv'vo"sections each section comprising a prddu'cing cha her and an air-regenerator, ports and passages between saidproducing-chambers'and air-re generators, and a reversing-valve;

17.- A metallurgical furnace; comprising a heating-chamber ermanently closed atjth'e" top and sides and Ea a verticaldeptli'a' roximately equalto its diameter a sepai'a fIi bEI g said 'bottomj poitidn"rela tive to t e heating chamber. V p 18. A metallurgical furnace comprising a" heating-chamber permanently elosedto the" atmosphere at the top and sides, 'a separable bottom therefor, means for vertically moving a -pro'dii tag l g e i Positio at ng-embera tom pb tiqaand ,i'ior of such Vi'stanttem heating? I g v the Itoiifindisiidkes, a vertically-movable bottompor'tion, an means for, heating the, inte-' roo i-ipl' of such and vmaintaining a 7 con: stant temperatiire part-assess ji er erib the ha "cqsstsnt b0 f nm Tout of sai l n -Ichamber, gas and r e thehe t t a n -eh mb r d 5 sides, and a separable verticallymovable gas-'proiilicerland located inthe same plane bottom, the construction andjarrange'mdrit' near"theitopbfEthegas producer. p

of the elements of thefurnacefbeiiigilsuch as, IQLJAinetaIhirgical furn'aee comprising a 6 5 to prevent the ingressof'air into'th e eating heatirig ehaiiilier permanent closed v at the chamber when thebottoni'i's removed." 1 top landi'sid es';aseparaiile bottomtherefor,

' m 13. A metallurgical furnace,compi isin"g"a" together' ithmeahsfo; intaining the inheating chamber permanently closed am a" tendfof: 'heatirig' cham ,er full of flame top and sides, a se arable b ttomgthe tforf and infespeetive of hether "the bottom of ,0 means for 'vertica y-mov'in said' 'botto m saiil'lfuriiacei'sopen,or closedr relative to said'heating-cha'm er; 'a gaj 'frd 20, fA 'metalIJirgicaLfui'nace compri in a I 5 dueer located at theside' ofsaid" he'atlng' i" heatiiig-cha'mlierpermanentlyclosed at the chamber, together with commnhicatingfort's to :a'nc'lsides; gas arid air flnesloeafted at one and passages between said chamber an si eofthchan'iber and'belo'wthe top ,there- 7 5 producer. V, 1 of, a reversible as-prodiicer andair-regen- 14. A metallurgical furnace;."comprisihga era'torifconr'icteg tosaidfluesg a vertically: 2o heating-chamberpermanentlyclosed at the": movable'i bottom'for said chamber, together top and sides; a separable bottomtherefor, witli fr eans' for' sealing the bottom when in a means for vertically mov'in said"fbottdiri "close" ositionf 8o 'sidesjgas and airflne's located at onernace and belongthe top there.- 7

le a s-produeer and air-.regem 85 ai 1 Y rtie ye bottom for said chamer; -tog'ethe'r' withmeans for; moving said ottom into iand opt of position and revolvin: *5 22$A metallurgical fnr nacei'comprismg 1a r rt c lly-vm ra eb -1 ,means'r heating the intecham'be'r'and maintaining a eonta re the i especti e i th 9s saidjmp'v le bottom portionr v ositioii o a 3'A- mana es vfurnac .pomp ie chamber closed tgtheatmosphere at.

I hereinirrespective of ositi'dfi' f saidim r bl 191 mm 1 a fli i l aali s e inpr n an I.

"fi is se afer h a ingtth ms e h nd m aini a. dg of flameithere n; andmeans t earticlestobe heated into and. chamber g In es ia aey e f. I my signature the in theisrsence' "of arm vyitnesses.

p GEORGE H. BENJAMIN. J. EIPEABsbN;

FRANK OComroa- 

